Stationery rack



Feb. 17, 1959 F. J.-Ho| owAY 2,873,860

STATIONERY RACK Filed Nov. 13. 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. fM/Efwc'EJ HOMO WAI Feb. 17, 1959 F. J. HoLLowAY 2,873,860

STATIONERY RACK Filed Nov. 13. 1953 2 slnee's-sheet` 2 ,s j ff .lu .MM Mi @7 /f jgw.

1 Uli United States g Patent STATIONERY RACK Florence J. Holloway, Delhi, N. Y.

Application November 13, 1953, Serial No. 391,780

1 Claim. (Cl. 211-50) The present invention relates to a stationery rack and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

Generally there is provided a stationery rack whichmay be placed in a desk drawer or mounted atop a table or desk and which is adapted to receive therein pluralities of sheets of different types such as, for example, letterheads, second sheets, onionskin sheets, envelopes and the like. The device possesses several novel features, one of which is that the papers in any one of the compartments forming a part of the device are automatically positioned so that the uppermost of such group of papers may be quickly and easily grasped by the fingers of the user. A- modified form the inventionl may take provides the rack in the form of a foldable and portable kit. The device is such that papers placed therein are kept in a fiat, unwrinkled and clean condition at all itmes.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a novel stationary rack which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and yet effective and efficient 1n use.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, a novel hinge forming a part of the invention.

Y Another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, compartments having side panels and novel means for automatically moving said panels together las the contents of such panels are removed therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, a novel supporting foot .forming a part of the invention.

AA further object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth a novel coyerand ties therefor, such cover and ties forming a part of the invention.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with thedrawing, in which:

Figure l isa side elevational view of an embodiment ofthe invention shown mounted in a drawer ofa desk or the like,4 such drawer and desk being shown in fragmentary lsectional view,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 3 3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4 4 of Figure 3. j

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view of a hinge forming a part of the invention,

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the device illustrated in Figure l,

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7 7 of Figure 1, Y

Figure 8 is a reduced perspective view of the deviceillustrated in Figures 1 to 7, inclusive,

A 2,873,860 Patented Feb. 17, 1959l Figure 9 is a perspective view of a modified form the invention may assume,

Figure 10 is a side elevational view of the device illustrated in Figure 9,

Figure 11 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the de vice shown in Figures 9 and l0,

Figure 12 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of the device shown in Figures 9 to 11, inclusive, illustrating certain details of construction,

Figure 13 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating a modified form of hinge which may be utilized in the invention,

Figure 14 is a vertical sectional view of Figure 13, and

Figure l5 is a fragmentary elevational view of the device shown in Figures 13 and 14.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown therein a device of the character set forth comprising a supporting foot 10 of triangular construction which is centrally attached to the underside of a panel 11 which thus assumes a position ina plane disposed at an acute angle to a horizontal plane upon which the support ing foot 10 rests. An end wall 12 flexibly interconnects the lower end of the panel 11 with the lower end of a support panel 13 which is glued or otherwise adhered to the underside of more than one-half of a panel 11a identical in size and shape with the panel 11. The panel 11a is provided with an end wall 12a which flexibly interconnects it with a support member 13a, the members 12a and 13a being identical in size and shape with the members 12 and 13. Likewise, the device is continued in this fashion with the members 11 to 11d, inclusive, being identical in size and shape; the members 12 to 12d, inclusive, being identical in size and shape; and the members 13 to 13d, inclusive, likewise being identical in size and shape, it being understood that these three members may be repeated as desired to increase the size of the completed device.

A nal panel 11e, identical in size and shape with the panel 11, is aixed to the upper side of the support member 11d. Aixed to the upper side of the panel 11e is a centrally disposed transversely extending relatively long elastic loop 14 and a pair of relatively short elastic loops 15 and 16.

It will be seen that the various panels just described form compartments 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 and that more of such compartments may be provided, if desired, by continuing the aforesaid structure. It will also be apparent that the panels and end walls together with the supporting members may be formed of cardboard, plastic, metal or the like and that the flexible connection between the end walls and the panels and supporting members may 'be made by scoring with or without reinforcing tape.

Each of the end walls 12,12a, etc. is limited in its pivotal movement away from its associated panel to an are of less than ninety degrees. This is accomplished by a stop member generally designated at 22. The stop members 22 are each formed of a single piece of at material having a main body 23 from which a pair of hooks 24 are bent upwardly and rearwardly and which hooks are engaged in the lower ends of the panels 11, 11a, etc. The lower end of each body 23 is bent upwardly, as indicated at 25 to provide an abutment for limiting the counterclockwise movement of the associated end wall 12, 12a, 12b, etc. as clearly shown, for example, in Figure 3.

In this form of the invention, it will be apparent that the entire device may be mounted atop a table, desk or the like or may be placed in a drawer 26 of a desk 27. Thereafter various groups of papers or the like may be placed in the various compartments 17 to 21, inclusive. Since the lower end of each stack lof papers will bear against the end walls 12, 12a, etc., it will be apparent that the uppermost edge of the uppermost sheet of paper in each compartment will always project slightly forwardly and upwardly from the next sheet therebelow thus affording an easy means for grasping and removing the uppermost sheet from each of the compartments at any given time. It will .also be apparent that as the supply of papers in any one of the compartments diminishes, that the panel and supporting member lying thereover will continually press against lthe uppermost of such papers to securely hold the same against wrinkling, sliding or the like even though some of such papers may be removed from, time to time.

In Figures 13 to 15, inclusive, there is shown an alternative form of construction wherein panels 1M and 11g are interconnected by an end plate 12;c by means of hinges 28 and 29. The hinge 28 is provided with one or more abutments 30 carried by collars 31 surrounding the pintle of the hinge 23. It will be seen that in this construction no supporting plates 13, 13a, etc. are necessary and that the action of the end walls 12f will be identical with the end walls heretofore described.

In the form of the invention illustrated, for example, in Figures 9 to l2, inclusive, there is shown therein a relatively large rectangular lower panel 40 flexibly connected at its rearward edge by means of an end wall 41 to the rearward edge ,of a supporting plate 42 which is affixed to the underside of more than one-half of the forward portion of a relatively 'small panel 43. An end wall 41a interconnects the rearward edge of the panel 43 with a plate 42a on the underside of a panel 43a. A11 end wall 41b interconnects the panel 43a and the plate 42h xed to the underside of the panel 43b. An end wall 41e interconnects the rearward edge of the panel 43b with a foreshortened panel 44 which is hinged at its forward end, by means of a tape 45 or the like to a panel 46 of intermediate size whose free edge has hinged thereto, as indicated at 47, a relatively narrow panel 48. The panel 46 has mounted thereon an elongated transversely extending elastic loop 49 while the panel 4S has aiiixed there to a plurality of longitudinally extending relatively short elastic loops 50. Pairs of stop members 22, heretofore described, are provided between the panels 40, 43, 43a and 4311 and the respective end walls 41, 41a, 41b, and 41e, the purpose of such stop members again being to limit the movement of the end walls so as to maintain stacks of paper placed in the compartments 51, 52, 53 and 54 in the stacked relation above described so that they may be eaily removed therefrom.

A tape 55 is centrally and transversely aixed'to the underside yof the panel 40 and a tape S6 is centrally and longitudinally afxed to the underside of the panel 40.

In the operation of this form of the invention, it will be apparent that when the device is in use the panel 40 will rest atop a table, desk or the like and that the panels 46 and 48 will Ibe extended outwardly in the manner shown in Figure 9, for example. When, however, it is desired to pack the device for transportation to another place, it is only necessary to fold the panels 46 and 48 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figures 9 and l0, for example, whereupon the free edge of the panel 4S will substantially adjoin the free edge of the panel 40 after which the ties 55 and 56 may be brought around the entire device and knotted to thus make the entire device a unitary one. It will also be seen that in both forms of the invention the loops 14, 1S, 16, 49 and 50 may be utilized for holding pluralities of envelopes, stamps and other like evrces.

While but two forms of the invention have been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A stationery rack having a plurality of successive connected compartments adapted to receive individual groups of papers in combination with a support base attached at one end of the rack and a cover attached at the opposite end of the rack whereby the compartments are disposed between the base and the cover, each of said compartments comprising a lower panel with an outer transverse edge and an inner edge spaced from and parallel to the outer edge including an end wall pivotally secured to the said inner edge along a transverse axis whereby the said end wall can pivot towards and into engagement with the lower panel in a substantially parallel fashion including means secured to the end wall and the lower panel limiting the pivotal motion of the end wall in a direction away from the lower panel to an angular distance smaller than degrees whereby the end wall is always at an acute angle to the lower panel forcing the top sheets in each compartment to project more outwardly than the lower sheets in all positions of the end wall relative to the lower panel, including an upper panel of smaller length than the lower panel pivotally secured to the upper edge of the end wall about an axis spaced from and parallel to the first said axis whereby said upper panel can pivot towards and away from the lower panel under the influence of gravity, `said upper panel having an outer edge which is located between the outer and inner edges of the lower panel whereby the papers protrude between the said outer edges of the upper and lower panels, said support base comprising a lower surface adapted to engage a horizontal surface and an upper surface inclined relative to the lower surface, said upper surface being xedly attached in fiat planar abutment with the lower panel of an end compartment, each upper panel being fixedly attached to the adjoining lower panel, the said inner edges of the lower panels lying in the plane of the lower surface of the support base whereby disposition of the support base upon a horizontal surface will cause the inner edges to engage the horizontal surface and the compartments will assume an inclined position with each upper panel being partially superimposed over each lower panel.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,350,186 Straubel Aug. 17, 1920 1,463,733 Turner July 31, 1923 1,769,595 Neidich July 1, 1930 1,952,118. Casey Mar. 27, 1934 2,182,460 Werner Dec. 5, 1939 

